The Epic of Aerth

Game 4

Party decides to hide the green dragon’s body in the forest nearby. Linarlic performs Gentle Repose on the body and Na’Gathgil binds its wounds in possible preparation for use of Animate Dead.

Candle keeps watch and notices two worg riders leaving the bridge one mile away. Emblem notifies the party by Candle’s order. Party decides to hide in the hopes that Na’Gathgil’s attempt to mask the scent of the dead dragon and the party so that they will pass by. The two riders appear to be the same two who escaped the Keep the previous day. They begin to root around the forest, catch the scent of Na’Gathgil skunk-spell, turn and ride back to the bridge. Party deliberates on the next move and decides to return to within sight of the activity on Skull Gorge Bridge. Candles remarks there appear to be fewer hobgoblins than before the slaying of the dragon.

Party advances from the tree-line engaging the hobgoblins and hell hound guarding The Two Southern Towers of the Skull Gorge Bridge. Candle takes the west southwestern tower. Honeydew, Cardago, and Linarlic charge the main southern entrance. Puck and Na’Gathgil ride the animated green dragon into battle landing in the center of the bridge (Puck quickly realizes the stress point for the bridge where the bomb needs to be placed to bring the bridge and all four towers down into the gorge). Na’Gathgil raises a Stinking Cloud along the northern portion of the bridge, blocking line of sight from the two north entrance towers. Puck sets the charge and yells, ‘Now is a good time to move!’ Party begins their retreat from the expected blast radius of the bomb. Linarlic, Cardago, and Candle all notice a multi-headed creature swooping down toward the bridge from the direction of the northern bridge towers. Na’Gathgil and Puck land the green dragon. (Party rolls 4d10 damage each (5 players = 20d10, totaling 108 damage), knocking everyone not on the bridge off their feet and delivering 6 damage from hitting the ground). The bridge and the four towers slip effortlessly into Skull Gorge followed by screams.

The multi-headed creature is a Chimera…it roars, takes flight, quickly crossing the gorge toward the party. Na’Gathgil orders the animated dead green dragon to engage the chimera just above where the two southern towers were once located. Chimera flies up from the gorge just as Na’Gathgil realizes he’s lost contact with the animated dragon. The Chimera charges Linarlic, knocking him prone, bringing the fight to the party. Candle strikes the final blow against the beast after a mighty battle. We defeat our foes handily.

Still early that morn, we decide to retrieve the horses and return to Drellin’s Ferry along the Dawn Road south. After about an hour of travel, we come across a large 15’ tall human effigy covered in moss with a birds nest standing in the middle of the road marking a trail that crosses the road here running east to west. Candle, nor Honeydew find any recent tracks. We continue south as the sun reached its noon day height…we press on a reach the far shore of Drellin’s Ferry just a few hours before midnight (duhnduhnduhn)…wake the ferryman to cross into town with the horses. We retire to the Green Apple Inn.

The next morning we discuss the situation with the Speaker and Captain of the Guard over breakfast. The decision is made that The Hawkbridge Lion’s will return north to assess the strength of the Red Hand Army. Speaker leaves to retrieve the 500gp apiece for removal of the goblin blockade.

Later that afternoon, we leave Drellin’s Ferry in search of the Forest Giant in the hopes he/she can offer insight into the Red Hand’s movement. We stay the night near the effigy, camped in the woods. The next morning we continue along the trail in search of the Forest Giant. We find a large oversized wooden a structure with dire boar on a spit and we discover he speaks Common. ‘Linarlic offers to alleviate his affliction, he says, ’Come to Warklegnaw.’ Linarlic steps forward leaving his weapons behind. Warklegnaw mentions his clansmen have moved into the hills to the west. He shares his dire boar with us and we begin to converse regarding Cinder Hill and the goblin tribes. He agrees to take us through a secret pass north/northwest of Skull Gorge Bridge. The horses are left at Warklegnaws and we head quickly through low lying hills north to the head waters of Skull Gorge. He shares stories with the party…Rhest was good. Amry Vrath was bad for trying to take over the forests. We arrive north of Skull Gorge Bridge by heading east along the gorge and find the Dawn Way road. We part with Warklegnaw, giving him more poultice for his affliction with some simple instructions…He agrees to warn his clansmen in the nearby hills and will see if they will fight to protect the forests south of Skull Gorge. We crest a far hill and the see the Army of the Red Hand…scarlet dragon, Warforged titan, several goblin/hobgoblin phalanx, MANY worg riders and giants. And they are mobilizing.